The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-10-14

matters or beyond the influence OF
those who are. Often under strong
tide pressure the netting with weights
will be raised nearly to the surface of
the water. There is almost always
more or less tide or-current, which ia
increased or diminished according to
the velocity of the wind. Sometimes
for short periods, We have what is
called "slack-tide" or still water.
when this occurs good fishing is look
ed TO-. The spring of the year is the
windy season.
Some Of the seine fishermen, and
others under their influence, insist
that pound fishermen ought not to be
allowed to commence fishing until the
seines do, and also be required to
draw out their nets at the same time
they do. There is no law STIMULATING
a certain time for either to begin or
quit. The seine men commence as
early as it will pay them to do so. 1t
takes six weeks ordinarily to put in
half q dozen pound nets. Most of
the work has to be done on the water.
and moderately warm and calm
weather selected for it. There are
but few warm or calm days in early
spring, hence they are forced to CON-
mence early in February in order to
be ready in time. It is rarely ever
that many fish are caught before the
middle of March-as they are not in
the waters.
These same people argue that lay
days should be placed upon Pound
fishermen. That they should take out
every Saturday and put in Monday.
No one knows better than the advO-
Gates of such laws, that to saddle
them with either of these measures,
would amount to total prohibition.
just here, it may be said to the
credit of the smaller fishermen of the
Albemarle that it has never been nee
essary to enact any law applicable to
them for a violation Of the Sabbath
They do not, nor never have fished on
Sundays.
While deep water as can be had
near the land, is preferable for Pound
fishing, none of them extend out into
the channel proper, as marked out on
the U. S. Court Survey Charts. Pass
ing vessels and steamers and innu.
merable timber RATS towed by steam
ers would keep them constantly
riddled and torn up if such were the
case.
There is no better barometer than
fish. For six or ten hours before a
shift of weather, aud when everything
looks clear and bright they will sud,
IDENTIFY play off into deep water, and
the catch will be diminished to al
most nothing. This is never fail
ing omen of bad weather. AS soon
as the storm subsidies they play back
the shores. They always seek the
deepest water in going up stream,
and when the weather permits they
seek the shores opposite where they
happen to be. AS proof of this,
the falling off or increase in the catch
comes to all at the same time and
alike.
Croatan Sound is but little if any
broader than the Chowan River for a
considerable distance up it. The
great bulk of all our fish pass through
it to reach the waters of the Abe
marie Sound. Suppose a law were
enacted to prohibit fishing in Croatan,
above the Marshes, and in Pamlico
Sound just below the Marshes, what
would be the effect? Nearly every man
in Dare county obtains living by fish
ing alone. Such a law would drive
them to waters unfrequented by fish
and to starvation. Gill nets by the tens
of thousand, and few pound nets and
seines are operated in these waters. and
to the casual observer, the wonder
would be, How is it possible for fish to
escape or pass by? Still they do pass
and are taken by fishermen all along
the line from there to the head-waters